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(No Model.)

W. S. ANDREWS.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION. No. 317,700. Patented May 12, 1885.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. ANDREWS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,700, dated May 12, 1885.

Application filed October 31, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: which both steps of throwing one division out Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. ANDREWS, of circuit and of connecting together the two of New York, in the county of New York and main conductors are performed. State of New York, have invented a certain My invention may be more readily compro- 5 new and useful Improvement in Systems of hended byreferencetotheaccompanyingdraw- Electrical Distribution, of which the following in gs, in which is a specification. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the inven- My invention relates to the compensating or tion, and Fig. 2 a diagram showing the switch three-wire system of electric lighting, in which for performing the double action just de- 10 three conductors extend from the source of scribed.

supply and the lamps are connected between A and A are generators of electricity, each the main conductors and the central or compenof which forms a division of the source of e11- sating conductor, the source of supply being ergy. Each division may, however, comprise also divided, and the compensating conductor two or more generators, arranged in multiple 15 being connected at thepointof division of said are or in series. One terminal of generator A source. In such a system, if the generator or is connected to positive main conductor P, and generators comprising one of the divisions of one pole of generator A to negative main conthe source should break down or become inductor N, while the other terminal of each genoperative from any cause, or if the number of erator is connected with the central or com- 2o lamps in circuit becomes at any time so small pensating conductor, 0. The electric lamps or that. the generative capacity of one of the other translating devices a a are connected divisions is sufficient to supply them all with between the main conductors and the compencurrent, it is desirable to remove one of the sating conductor. The system and the source divisions from the circuit and to throw the of supply are thus divided into two parts. 7 5 2 5 whole system upon the other. Referring now to Fig. 1, should the genera- The object of my invention is to conventor A become disabled so that the whole sysiently accomplish this, and I do so by discontem must be supplied from A, the switch b is necting the inoperative or unnecessary genthrown off, as shown, and this generator is thus erator or generators from the system and condisconnected from main conductor N. From 30 necting both the positive and the negative conductor P a wire, p, extends to contact 0 of main conductors to the same terminal of the switch 13, and from conductor N wire' a exother generator or generators. Thus the two tends to contact 0 of said switch. This main conductors form one side of the circuit, switch has a pivoted metal arm, (I, carrying while the central or compensating conductor two contacts, 0 c, and when such contacts are 5 is the other, and the lamps in circuit are conbrought against contacts 0 c circuit is made nected between the said compensating conthroughd,connectingconductors]?Ntogether, ductor and one or the other of the two parts the generator A being already connected I of the said opposite conductor. The current to conductor P. This connects the same then flows out through the two main conpole thereof to conductor N also. These two o ductors, through the two sets of lamps, and thus form one split conductor, being one side back by the compensating conductor, or out of a circuit of which conductor 0 is the oppoby the compensating conductor and back by site side, and the lamps are connected between the two main conductors. the conductor 0 and the two parts of the split In carrying out my invention I may first disconductor. The current flows in one direction 9 5 4 5 connect the useless division from its main conthrough conductors P and N, and in the other ductor and then connect the two main conthrough 0, passing through the lamps which ductors together, which, it is evident, connects connect the two sides of the circuit. The genboth said conductors to one pole of the other erator A also has a switch, I), for disconnectdivision, the other pole thereof being already in g it from the main conductor 1?, but the one :00 50 connected with the compensating conductor. switch, B, of course answers the same purpose I may, however, employ a single switch, by for both machines. If there are too many lamps in circuit to be supplied by the one generator, it will be necessary to turn off a suitable number of these lamps.

My invention is also applied when the number of lamps in circuit becomes so small that one generator is capable of supplying them, as has been already mentioned.

In Fig. 2 is shown for each generator a switch, D, which combines the operations of the switches B and b b of Fig. 1. The metal arm f of this switch is pivoted at g, and carries contacts h h, while its end rubs on a stationary contact are, i. Stationary contacts k k are also provided. Gonsiderin g the switch on the right of the drawings, ifits arm is thrown to the right, the generator A is properly connected through wires 1 and 2 with main conductor N. Bringing the arm to a central position breaks the circuit of the generator, and throwing it to the left connects the conductors P and N together through 3 and 2. The switch for generator A may be manipulated in a similar manner.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with positive and negative main conductors of a compensating system of electrical distribution, of a switch for connecting both said conductors to the same terminal of one of the divisions of the source of supply, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with positive and neg ative main conductors of a compensating system of electrical distribution, of a switch for connecting said conductors together, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with positive and negative main conductors of a compensating system of electrical distribution, of switches whereby either division may be disconnected from its main conductor and both said main conductors connected with the same terminal of the other division, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 8th day of October, 1884-.

WILLIAM S. ANDREWS.

Witnesses:

P. B. SHAW, J. F. KIRBY. 

